Lead Member – Councillor Robert Macey – Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services

Report of the Director of Place and Enterprise

Contact: George Candler   Tel: 01743 255003

RESOLVED:

i)             That the draft Preferred Scale and Distribution of Development document attached for consultation subject to minor amendments and editing, be     approved.

ii)         That the criteria-based methodology attached for identifying an appropriate settlement hierarchy be approved.

iii)       That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Place and Enterprise in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory   Services to confirm the final version of the documents and to publish these for public consultation.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services presented a report from the Director of Place and Enterprise to seek approval for consultation on the preferred scale of housing and employment development in Shropshire during the period to 2036, together with the preferred distribution of this growth including identifying the proposed contribution from the strategic centre, principal centres and key centres.  He referred Members to paragraph 2.13 relating to housing supply and delivery and explained that the delivery of the preferred housing requirement of 28,750 dwellings would equate to an average annual delivery rate of 1,430 dwellings across the county; this rate was considered to be realistic and achievable given the recent high completion rate.

Members noted that the objective at this significant stage for public and stakeholder involvement in the partial review of the Local Plan was to obtain feedback on the preferred scale and distribution of housing and employment growth, the proposed settlement hierarchy and the policies to manage development within community hubs and community clusters. 

A Member voiced concern that communities with Neighbourhood Development Plans should not be overlooked and growth in the manner desired by local communities should be taken into consideration.  He drew attention to the risk of small local communities being swallowed up by future development at the Ironbridge Power station and urged for a high level of local sensitivity.  The Leader stated that the Council needed to make strategic decisions that would be accompanied by significant public consultation and the Portfolio Holder confirmed that the Council needed to play a role in the future of this site whilst being mindful of the needs of the local communities.

Responding to a Member’s concerns regarding the methodology being applied to future housing and employment development, the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services confirmed that he would be happy to meet and discuss the issues with any interested parties.  He confirmed that the consultation on the draft Preferred Scale and Distribution of Development document would close on 22 December 2017 and the next stage of the process to be undertaken in 2018 would relate to housing numbers.

RESOLVED:

i)             That the draft Preferred Scale and Distribution of Development document attached for consultation subject to minor amendments and editing, be     approved.

ii)         That the criteria-based methodology attached for identifying an appropriate settlement hierarchy be approved.

iii)       That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Place and Enterprise in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory   Services to confirm the final version of the documents and to publish these for public consultation.